http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2009/11/19/12611133/index.xml
Created: Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:45 p.m. CST
By ELENA GRIMM egrimm@daily-chronicle.com
City contracts with aldermen on agenda
DeKALB – The city council Monday is expected to make changes to financial policies that relate to aldermen doing business with the city.
An ordinance will be presented that gives the city council more power in authorizing spending when a fellow council member has financial interest in the contract. Contracts between $1,500 and $20,000, in which an alderman is financially involved, now will require council approval.
Another change caps the total amount an alderman – or his or her business – can receive in one year at $25,000.
Unrelated to an alderman's financial interest, another change proposes that the city manager be the sole authority on purchases between $10,000 and $20,000, whereas department heads currently can make such purchases. The idea behind this is to keep control centralized and reduce potential problems, City Manager Mark Biernacki said Thursday afternoon at a news conference.
The overhaul in financial policy derived from one alderman’s work on public projects in 2008.
Third Ward Alderman Victor Wogen provided the lowest quote on six contracts with the city of DeKalb, winning the maintenance jobs. Because each project was less than $20,000 they didn't require city council action, according to state statute.
Also on Monday, the DeKalb City Council is expected to respond to an agreement that gives Target Corp. a tax break on its DeKalb distribution center after the company failed to meet required employment levels.
At the last city council meeting, it was suggested to give a partial abatement to the company rather than ask for all tax dollars back. The partial abatement would use a pro rata approach, given that the company fulfilled 87 percent of employment levels, or 434 employees out of the required 500.
When asked whether staff preferred no abatement or a partial abatement, Biernacki said there was no recommendation, and that it would be up to the council to decide. Target representatives are expected to be at Monday's meeting, he said.
Four public hearings will be held at Monday's meeting on four applications the city has received for its recently created tattoo business license. The four applicants are for Proton Studio, 120 S. Fourth St.; Campus Tattoo, 1022 W. Lincoln Highway; Out on a Whim, 127 E. Lincoln Highway; and Euro Tattoo, 128 E. Lincoln Highway.
However, city law doesn't allow two body art establishments within 500 feet of one another, and not more than two in the downtown area. Out on a Whim and Euro Tattoo are too close, and those two businesses, along with Proton Studio, are all proposed for downtown locations.
The council is expected to grant licenses at the Dec. 14 meeting.
Also on the agenda:
• A consideration to hire a consulting group to perform an analysis on transit needs for the Voluntary Action Center, using Federal Transit Agency funds.
• A consideration of a snow removal plan for the upcoming snow season, which would plow all streets but salt only major thoroughfares.
• A consideration of closing the County Home TIF District because the cost for redevelopment has been fully recovered by the increased increment. If approved, the TIF would be dissolved 13 years early and more than $600,000 would be distributed back to taxing bodies.
• An estimate of the property tax levy is to be received and filed, with a public hearing and final vote made Dec. 14.
If you go
What: DeKalb City Council meeting
When: 6 p.m. Monday
Where: DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St. in DeKalb
Copyright © 2009 Daily Chronicle. All rights reserved.
Created: Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:45 p.m. CST
By ELENA GRIMM egrimm@daily-chronicle.com
City contracts with aldermen on agenda
DeKALB – The city council Monday is expected to make changes to financial policies that relate to aldermen doing business with the city.
An ordinance will be presented that gives the city council more power in authorizing spending when a fellow council member has financial interest in the contract. Contracts between $1,500 and $20,000, in which an alderman is financially involved, now will require council approval.
Another change caps the total amount an alderman – or his or her business – can receive in one year at $25,000.
Unrelated to an alderman's financial interest, another change proposes that the city manager be the sole authority on purchases between $10,000 and $20,000, whereas department heads currently can make such purchases. The idea behind this is to keep control centralized and reduce potential problems, City Manager Mark Biernacki said Thursday afternoon at a news conference.
The overhaul in financial policy derived from one alderman’s work on public projects in 2008.
Third Ward Alderman Victor Wogen provided the lowest quote on six contracts with the city of DeKalb, winning the maintenance jobs. Because each project was less than $20,000 they didn't require city council action, according to state statute.
Also on Monday, the DeKalb City Council is expected to respond to an agreement that gives Target Corp. a tax break on its DeKalb distribution center after the company failed to meet required employment levels.
At the last city council meeting, it was suggested to give a partial abatement to the company rather than ask for all tax dollars back. The partial abatement would use a pro rata approach, given that the company fulfilled 87 percent of employment levels, or 434 employees out of the required 500.
When asked whether staff preferred no abatement or a partial abatement, Biernacki said there was no recommendation, and that it would be up to the council to decide. Target representatives are expected to be at Monday's meeting, he said.
Four public hearings will be held at Monday's meeting on four applications the city has received for its recently created tattoo business license. The four applicants are for Proton Studio, 120 S. Fourth St.; Campus Tattoo, 1022 W. Lincoln Highway; Out on a Whim, 127 E. Lincoln Highway; and Euro Tattoo, 128 E. Lincoln Highway.
However, city law doesn't allow two body art establishments within 500 feet of one another, and not more than two in the downtown area. Out on a Whim and Euro Tattoo are too close, and those two businesses, along with Proton Studio, are all proposed for downtown locations.
The council is expected to grant licenses at the Dec. 14 meeting.
Also on the agenda:
• A consideration to hire a consulting group to perform an analysis on transit needs for the Voluntary Action Center, using Federal Transit Agency funds.
• A consideration of a snow removal plan for the upcoming snow season, which would plow all streets but salt only major thoroughfares.
• A consideration of closing the County Home TIF District because the cost for redevelopment has been fully recovered by the increased increment. If approved, the TIF would be dissolved 13 years early and more than $600,000 would be distributed back to taxing bodies.
• An estimate of the property tax levy is to be received and filed, with a public hearing and final vote made Dec. 14.
If you go
What: DeKalb City Council meeting
When: 6 p.m. Monday
Where: DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 S. Fourth St. in DeKalb
Copyright © 2009 Daily Chronicle. All rights reserved.
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